New Riverside Ochre adds granular pigment production

New Riverside Ochre Co. (NRO), a family owned natural iron oxide and barite mining and mineral processing company in business for 112 years, has expanded its concrete and cement related product line with granular pigments for concrete block and pavers. The line improves color consistency, productivity and is “naturally” appealing, company officials note, adding that NRO is the only pigment operator packaging pre-blended colored granules for concrete in a single super sack.

Color consistency is critical in block and paver production, where plants typically have pigment addition systems that accommodate four colors: two reds, one yellow and one black. While designed for precise rates, accurate addition of separate pigments is difficult to achieve when small dosages are targeted for one of the colors. Variability within the dosing can leave systems uncontrollable, NRO notes, leading to product loss, customer complaints, and low employee morale.

The company has developed a line of natural based granulated (spray dried) pigments that will produce a wide range of colors for unit masonry. Currently, a buff color formulated through yellow, red, and black in three feed stations of a dosing system can be produced using one station. The feed station reduction is achieved by using NRO single super blends. The single pigment consists of a natural pigment as the base, mined and processed in the United States under carefully controlled conditions. The natural pigment in combination with synthetic iron oxide pigments is then spray dried to produce free flowing granules. The result, NRO notes, is the no more worrying about too much yellow or not enough red in a batch, as the system consistently yields the same color block and paver.

Increased quality is a direct result of color consistency, NRO officials affirm, adding that the use of a single bag in a dosing station to achieve buff or any other “earth-tone” color from red to brown to yellow vastly decreases quality holds and customer complaints resulting from inconsistent color. Increasing quality by reducing output of defective product enhances block and paver operational performance. — New Riverside Ochre, Cartersville, Ga., 800/248-0176; www.NROchre.com